IJIRST –International Journal for Innovative Research in Science & Technology| Volume 1 | Issue 12 | May 2015

ISSN (online): 2349-6010

Review on Study of Reservoir Sedimentation by

Remote Sensing Technique
Miss. Mili V. Bhavsar Prof. K. B. Gohil
Research Scholar (ME) Assistant Professor
Department of Water Resources Management) Department of Civil Engineering
Shantilal Shah Engg. College, Bhavnagar Shantilal Shah Engg. College, Bhavnagar

Abstract
Sediment particles originating from soil erosion processes in the catchment are propagated along with the river flow. The
sediment settles in the reservoir, when the flow of a river is stored in a reservoir and reduces its capacity. Reduction in the
storage capacity of a reservoir beyond a limit hampers the purpose for which it was designed. Hence assessment of sediment
deposition becomes very important for the management and operation of such reservoirs. Some conventional methods, such as
hydrographic survey and inflow outflow approaches, are used for estimation of sedimentation in a reservoir, but these methods
are cumbersome, time consuming and expensive.There is a need for developing simple methods, which require less time and are
cost effective. Present study, is an attempt to estimate reservoir sedimentation and capacity loss by using Remote Sensing
Technique. This study has been done by a detailed research and analysis of some papers written by well known researchers in the
above field.
Keywords: Sediment, Storage Capacity, Remote Sensing Technique
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

I. INTRODUCTION
Water is essential for socio-economic development and for maintaining healthy economic component of growth, poverty
reduction and equality. The livelihood of the poorest sector with higher rates of urbanization, increasing demand for drinking
water will put stronger by 2030. The next 25 years are challenging to create hydropower stations, the higher food production at
lower rate of water consumption, development of Industrial and Agriculture sector and the economical waste water treatments.
Water Resources Management aims at optimizing the available natural water flows and competing needs. Adding uncertainty,
climate change will increase the complexity of managing water resources. The mounting challenges due to demand and supply of
water, It becomes essential to utilize available storage in minimize rate. It is well established fact that reservoirs constructed on
rivers are subjected to sedimentation. Reservoir sedimentation is a natural phenomenon. All the reservoirs are bound to suffer a
loss in their storage potential because of silt load, over a period of time.
A great amount of sediment is carried annually by Indian rivers down to the reservoirs, lakes, estuaries, bays, and oceans. Soil
is eroded due to rainfall and winds, resulting in tremendous sediment movement into water courses by flood and storm waters.
The impact of sediment erosion, transport and deposition is widespread. Deposition of coarse sediments reduces the reservoir
storage and channel conveyance for water supply, irrigation and navigation and causes extensive disturbance to streams.
Suspended sediments reduce the water clarity and sunlight penetration, thereby affecting the biotic life. Settlement of sediments
to the bottom of water bodies buries and kills the vegetation and changes the ecosystem.
In order to determine the useful life of a reservoir, it is essential to periodically conduct the surveys and assess the
sedimentation rate in a reservoir. Also, for proper allocation and management of water from a reservoir, knowledge about the
sediment deposition pattern in various zones of a reservoir is essential. With the correct knowledge of the sedimentation
processes going on in a reservoir, remedial measures can be undertaken well in advance and reservoir operation schedule can be
planned for optimum utilization of water.
For assessing the sediment deposition pattern in a reservoir, systematic capacity surveys of the reservoir are conducted
periodically. Present conventional techniques of sediment quantification in a reservoir, like the hydrographical surveys and
inflow-outflow methods, are cumbersome, costly and time consuming. Remote sensing, through its spatial, spectral and temporal
attributes, can provide synoptic, repetitive and timely information regarding the water spread area of the reservoir. With the
deposition of sediments in the reservoir, the water spread area at an elevation keeps on decreasing. By comparing the decrease in
water spread area with time, the sediment distribution pattern in a reservoir can be determined indirectly. This information can be
used to quantify the rate of reservoir sedimentation.

All rights reserved by www.ijirst.org 251

 Review on Study of Reservoir Sedimentation by Remote Sensing Technique
(IJIRST/ Volume 1 / Issue 12 / 042)

II. LITERATURE REVIEW

Reetesh Katiyar, P. K. Garg, S. K. Jain (2006) in their study divided the catchment for Ramganga into nine sub watershed to
determine the sub-watershed most prone to soil erosion.

Fig. 3: Drainage Network of Nine Sub-catchments of Ramganga reservoir

Topographical maps are digitized for preparing contour map and drainage network. By drainage network, delineation of
catchment and sub catchment is done and then by generating slope and water pixels from satellite images, sub-catchment
contributing to max soil erosion is determined. Also through temporal IRS-1B LISS-III images between 2000 and 2001 are used
on ILWIS image processing and GIS software for assessment of reservoir sedimentation. Conclusion derived from the study says
that the Remote Sensing gives good accuracy for determining sediment rate.
Saumitra Mukherjee, et. al. (2007) studied satellite data of Hirakund Reservoir for five optimal dates corresponding to various
water stages from minimum to maximum draw down levels were used in estimating water spread areas. Through this
(NIR/RED) image were generated to indentify water pixels and thus verifying standard FCC. The non water pixels were
indentified with Ratio (GREEN/NIR) image and were removed from total water-spread. By correlating the data from the water-
spread area and corresponding derivations, total reservoir storage capacity was determined with the help of elevation area curve.

Fig. 2: Updated Elevation-Area Curves for Hirakund reservoir

Kamuju Narasayya, U C Roman, S. Sreekanth and Sunneta Jatwa (2012) in their research paper, assessment of sedimentation
was carried out for Srisailam Reservoir using remote sensed satellite imageries. The area capacity curve of the year 1976 was
taken as a base for assessment for year 2004. Three types of data were collected (i.e. topographical data, Satellite data and field
data). For topographical data contour map and toposheet were collected for base-map creation. Satellite date for IRS 1C, 1D and
P6 for LISS-III sensor were collected from NRSC. The field data were collected from local irrigation office as well as dam site.
By geo-referencing and data obtained from satellite through NRSC and field data, interpretation and estimation of water-spread
area was done by EASI/PACE software. Comparing the result with base period of field data sedimentation rate was calculated.
The research paper concluded that a definite relationship exists between reservoir shape and percentage of sediment accumulated
in various depths since its impoundment.

Fig. 3: Sediment Deposition Pattern in Srisailam Reservoir for Different Years Superimposed on Borland and Miller curves

All rights reserved by www.ijirst.org 252

 Review on Study of Reservoir Sedimentation by Remote Sensing Technique
(IJIRST/ Volume 1 / Issue 12 / 042)

S.R.Mandwar, Dr. H.V. Hajare et. al. (2013) in their research paper has done a case study of Totla dam for capacity evaluation
and sedimentation. The basic concept was to find out the water-spread area from satellite data for different water level between
MDDL and FDL. From water-spread area reservoir capacity is calculated and compared with previous surveys. And hence
estimation of live capacity loss due to sedimentation was determined. Certain limitations were concluded for satellite remote

 Remote sensing based capacity estimation work between FRL and minimum water level in reservoir only.
sensing.

 It gives accurate estimation for fan shaped where there is considerable change in water-spread area for incremental
change in water level.
Issa E. Issa, et. al. (2013) In their paper two topographic maps of Mosul reservoir dated 1983 and 2011 in “Triangular
Irregular Network” were used for the calculation of sedimentation rate and determining the reduction in storage capacity for live
and dead storage as well as whole Mosul reservoir during its operational period. The TIN maps were used to compute the storage
capacity and water-spread area for live storage and dead storage using Arc/GIS software. The reduction in storage capacity of the
reservoir for the two surveys at different time represents total volume of sediment accumulated and reduction in water spread
area for reservoir.

Furthermore, two surveys were used to determine the future shift in the stage storage capacity curve of reservoir. Also the
observed results and algebraic equation that were proposed by Gill were used to determine the life span of Mosul reservoir.

Fig. 4: Stage-storage capacity curves for Mosul reservoir.

Sanjay K. Jain, Pratap Singh, S. M. Seth (2002) in this research paper, study was carried out for sedimentation in Bhakra
reservoir. Here satellite data were processes and using ERDAS/IMAGINE 8.3.1 software for determining the water spread area
in reservoir. Initially a false colour composite (FCC) of the satellite data was prepared and visualized, the image of October was
considered as the master image and eight control points were selected for image to image registration. Based on statistics, the
points which generated big errors were deleted and replaced by others points to obtain satisfactory geo-referencing. Images were
overlaid and comparison was done. For the same period under study, ground observation survey provide sedimentation rate.
Hence by plotting elevation capacity curve for both SRS and hydrographical survey, it was concluded that SRS proves accurate
for short intervals. They concluded some limitations for remote sensing for example it gives information on capacities only in
water level fluctuation zone, which generally lies in live zone of reservoir.
M. K. Goel, Sharad K. Jain & P. K. Agarwal (2002) a case study related to the assessment of sediment deposition in Bargi
reservoir, Madhya Pradesh state is presented in this paper. The images of nine date from IRS-1C satellite, LISS-III sensor had
been analyzed using ERDAS/IMAGINE software. The period from October 1996 to June 1997 was selected for analysis. The
multi-spectral remote sensing images were first geo-referenced to as master plan. Using the geo-referenced images the water –
spread areas at different time periods were compared and revised contours were overlaid. The drainage pattern of area around
and within the reservoir water-spread was digitized from 1:50000 scale toposheets of the Survey of India. Image to image
registration was carried out for all images. Each image was geo-referenced with its subsequent date image. After this, the
resulted images were geo-referenced with drainage map. After this, the resulted images were geo-referenced with drainage map.
Thus after removal of discontinuous water pixels and extended tail and channels, revised contours was derived. Hence calculate
revised capacity of the reservoir.
Certain points were concluded by the researcher form the study done which refers the accuracy in estimation of sedimentation

 It is highly sensitive to determine water spread area

by remote sensing are.

 Sensitive to water level information

 Original elevation area capacity table.
 Accuracy in identification of water pixels.

All rights reserved by www.ijirst.org 253

 Review on Study of Reservoir Sedimentation by Remote Sensing Technique
(IJIRST/ Volume 1 / Issue 12 / 042)

Asif M. Bhatti, Seigo Nasu and Masataka Takagi (2011) took prime objective of this research work to calculate suspended
sediment concentrations in surface waters by means of ALOS and ASTER satellite data. Here the multispectral data and optical
modelling is integrated to cope with lack of ground truth data. The combination of ALOS/AVNIR-2 band 3 and 4 was selected to
demonstrate the relationship between reflectance and suspended sediment concentration. Data were collected for annual sediment
load, discharge, sediment type and other water quality data, also features of dam, etc. Image processing, atmospheric correction
and spectral analysis was carried out and hence researchers developed a model. By this model, they developed a SS monitoring
system for dam/reservoirs. The usefulness of this research is to make possible to work with minimum data with high reliability
and efficiency.
M.K.Goel, Dr. S.K.Jain, P.K.Agrawal (1997-98) in this report, the sediment deposition pattern within a zone of Ukai reservoir
had been determined using remote sensing techniques.
Remotely sensed data of eight different dates had been obtained for year 1993-94 of IRS-1B satellites and LISS-II sensor from
NRSA. Water spread areas were extracted using ERDAS/IMAGINE software. The original elevation-area-capacity curves and
reservoir levels for eight dates of satellite pass were obtained from dam site. Using trapezoidal formula, the revised capacity
between maximum and minimum observed levels was obtained. Thus the loss of capacity was observed which was due to
sediment deposition. Results were compared with hydrographical survey of 1992-93, which came closer to obtained results.
Roman, Uday C. Suneeta, Jatwa, et. al. (2010) in their paper described the assessment of sedimentation using SRS technique,
for Ujjani reservoir on river Bhima, in Solapur district of Maharashtra state of India. The water spread area of reservoir at
different water levels between FRL and MDDL IN different month of year were computed from satellite imageries. New
elevation-capacity curve would be established and compared with availability of imageries from IRC 1C, 1D and P6 satellites
using LISS-III sensors. And hence by comparing both original and revised curve, capacity loss was estimated.

III. CONCLUSION
The above review included various regions in India and also outside the country. Also different terrains like semi-arid region,
sloping region, flat and hard rock are studied. The hydrographical survey is very costly, cumbersome and time consuming. Also
it cannot be carried out at small intervals. Thus continuous results of sedimentation cannot be obtained. To overcome this
problem, an advanced technique of remote sensing can be used for the assessment of sedimentation of a reservoir. This method
can be used for analysis of short intervals also and hence a continuous record can be obtained. Also this technique is easy, time
saving and economical. Different software like ERDAS/IMAGINE, ALOS and ASTER, Arc GIS, EASI/PACE are used. Images
of IRS 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D AND P6 for LISS-III, LISS-II sensor and LANDSAT images are used for interpretation. Thus study of
semi-arid region for sedimentation is very important. As there is lack of ground data available, Remote Sensing Technique is
applicable and most useful.

REFERENCES
[1] Reetesh Katiyar, P.K.Garg, S. K. Jain “Watershed Prioritization and Reservoir Sedimentation Using Remote Sensing Data” Geocarto International, Vol. 21,
No. 3, September 2006.
[2] Saumitra Mukherjee, Vijay Veer, Shailendra Kumar Tyagi and Vandana Sharma “Sedimentation Study of Hirakud Reservoir through Remote Sensing
Techniques” Journal of Spatial Hydrology Vol.7, No.1, Spring 2007,122-130
[3] Kamuju Narasayya, U C Roman, S.Sreekanth and Sunneta Jatwa “Assessment of Reservoir Sedimentation Using Remote Sensing Satellite Imageries”
Asian Journal of Geoinformatics, Vol.12, No.4 (2012).
[4] S.R.Mandwar, Dr. H.V. Hajare , Dr. A.R.Gajbhiye “Assessment of Capacity Evaluation and Sedimentation of Totla Doh Reservoir, in Nagpur District By
Remote sensing Technique.” IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering (IOSR-JMCE) ISSN: 2278-1684 Volume 4, Issue 6 (Jan. - Feb. 2013), PP
22-25
[5] Issa E. Issa1, Nadhir Al-Ansari, Govand Sherwany, Sven Knutsson “Sedimentation Processes and Useful Life of Mosul Dam Reservoir, Iraq” Engineering,
2013, 5, 779-784
[6] Sanjay K. Jain, Pratap Singh, S. M. Seth “Assessment of sedimentation in Bhakra Reservoir in the western Himalayan region using remotely sensed data”
Hydrological Sciences-Journal 47(2) April 2002
[7] M. K. Goel, Sharad K. Jain & P. K. Agarwal “Assessment of sediment deposition rate in Bargi Reservoir using digital image processing” ” Hydrological
Sciences-Journal 47(S) April 2002.
[8] Asif M. Bhatti, Seigo Nasu and Masataka Takagi “Multispectral Remotely Sensed Models for Monitoring Suspended Sediment: A Case Study of Indus
River, Pakistan” International Journal of Water Resources and Arid Environments 1(6): 417-427, 2011
[9] Roman, Uday C. Suneeta, Jatwa, Singh, M. N. Selvan, S. “Reservoir Capacity Loss Estimation Using Satellite Data – A Case Study” Indian Geotechnical
Conference – 2010, Geotrendz ,December 16–18, 2010.
Report:
[10] “Reservoir Sedimentation Study for Ukai Dam Using Satellite Data” National Institute Of Hydrology, Roorkee (1997-98)

All rights reserved by www.ijirst.org 254